What is a Gift to the Earth?

The Gift is WWF's highest accolade in applauding large scale conservation gains.

A Gift to the Earth is a public celebration by WWF of a conservation action by a government, a company, an organization, or an individual which is both a demonstration of environmental leadership and a globally significant contribution to the protection of the living world.

The Gift is symbolic, and is WWF's highest accolade for applauding good conservation work. It is a form of recognition which enables WWF to publicly recognise an important conservation achievement, which can also serve as an example, helping encourage similar actions by others elsewhere. In addition, this enables WWF to draw worldwide attention to the conservation achievement including the international media, funding agencies and other organisations.

The Gift to the Earth is symbolised in a certificate signed by Jim Leape, the WWF International Director General. To date, more than 100 Gifts to the Earth have been recognised since 1996, including more than 60 major commitments by governments throughout the world.

Each of these Gifts represents an important success within one or more of the global conservation priorities recognised by WWF including: protection of Forests, Freshwater and Marine ecosystems and endangered Species; prevention of Climate Change and elimination of Toxic chemicals. WWF focuses on these priorities within the Global 200 Ecoregions, a science-based ranking of the world's most biologically outstanding and globally representative areas of biodiversity.

Through the Gift to the Earth mechanism, WWF has also recognised important incentives for sustainability. Examples of Gifts to the Earth include WWF's initiative with Unilever, the world's largest purchaser of fish products, helping establish the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to certify well-managed fisheries. And with AssiDoman, a major Baltic forest company, WWF has helped develop the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to certify well-managed forests. WWF has also teamed up with the World Bank to protect and secure good management of important forests.

Once the Gift to the Earth is announced, WWF follows up to monitor progress and assist where possible. In several cases, the recognition of a government's conservation action as a Gift to the Earth has prompted the government to make further important conservation actions.